


Defiance

by AutumnxHalla



Category: Tales of Xillia
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-16
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-05-21 01:59:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6033843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutumnxHalla/pseuds/AutumnxHalla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It had been 10 years since Ludger gave himself up to save Elle. Since then, she has been working alongside Jude to create the first Great Spyrite. When things go wrong; the old team gets back together to stop the spyrite from rampaging Kanbalar. When it sends them through a portal, they arrive in a strange new world. None of them are not prepared for what they face in Pan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prologue

Fate has a great sense of humor. In these book clad aisles; my fate was already decided in the eve of my conception. Notice how I say conception and not birth. Please, I understand the two are one in the same but I assure you, they are not. Close; save for one difference.

This difference, no matter how slight; is the sole piece of evidence that defines spirits from humans. As it were; humans are born from one another. Two individuals meet; they mate, and that beckons the miraculous result: Children.

Do not misconstrue my words; though. I assure you that spirits can and do fully comprehend human way of making; but as beings from a higher place of existence; it is unnecessary. Physical intimacy; for spirits; have been long been retired. What we do in its stead is by far more pleasurable and much more intimate.

Tethering can be and is our miraculous result. Though, not in the way that most humans think. There is no physical contact; but a mental bond; a two way conduit that sustains mana for the spirit and allows the human who we tether to; the ability to do great and wonderful things: Artes.

To tether is to feel and project the emotions and memories of our human counterparts; and exchange of sorts. In my time; I have gathered memories and store them safely in the Library. It is and intricate bliss that cannot be defined with a handful of words; and my dearies, I would be foolish to try.

In my line of work; I have come to witness the passing of many different fates. Each one has alternate details; like one where the sky is always a coffee hue of dark browns and sepia; much like the color of chocolate. Another; a man works tirelessly to bring green back to the land; and fails. It is always the same faces; the same names and often more than not; the same outcome:

The shattering of the world's life. My job is to watch and record these outcomes.

It is a job that I first struggled with in the earliest days of my life. I want to make it clear; my intentions are not malicious by words true definition but; inaction to be the savior of these realms is Fates' offense. Fate is cruel. I once again, assure you; witnessing the deconstruction of these universes is a necessary evil. It is proof of the human condition; really. Humans, as I witnessed in my line of work; will go to great lengths to destroy things they cannot understand. One cannot go against their nature. Most wouldn't even notice the decline of spiritual life among them…

Nothing illustrates my point more than the fate of our lord; Maxwell. She martyred herself for sake of the humans; and because of this selfless act of defiance; I find myself breaking the rules; to undo my niche; and certainly to bring the stopping of the clocks.

I interfered. I interjected fate; and this of this disobedience; I became a rebel; I spared the citizens of Pan from their fate…


	2. I

"I'll give you five gald for them and not a penny more." The young woman of 18 spoke as she crossed her arms over her budding chest. Sea foam hues glared daggers at the merchant; her brows furrowed into an annoyed scowl; which earned a chuckle from the proprietor.

"Come on, Elle! It's been a slow month. Can't you take it easy on an old man?"

"Don't do this." The teen snapped as a frustrated sigh escaped through her nose. "No, Svent." She replied, sternly. "You're a merchant and you should haggle fairly!"

Her hand moved instinctively towards a stray strand of honey colored hair. She tucked it behind her ear; the place it should be. Bright baby blues never left Alvin's gaze.

"Alright, kid. You got me. I'll sell 'em for five." The merchant grasped her hand in his and firmly shook it as if to solidify the trade. It was for old time's sake; in his mind; at least.

Elle pulled her hand away and took the ripe tomatoes from the basket that sat upon the counter. They were succulent and plump. Perfect in every way. Elle moved quickly to wrap them in a plain cloth and worked on storing them in her leather bound satchel; one she never left home without.

"Say, kid. What will you be using them for? You hate tomatoes." Alvin couldn't help but ask; every year it was the same with her; on this day; she would buy several tomatoes, and it boggled his mind why someone who so fiercely despises the berry would take time out of her day to buy them. He slipped his hands in his pockets leisurely and waited for an answer.

The blonde paused before glancing up at Alvin. Her gazed could be easily be seen by the strands of blonde hair acting as a shield. Elle wasn't about to answer him; like every year; his question was only met with dirty looks.

Elle moved to stand straight before going through her pockets and fishing out 5 gold coins; dropping them on the counter; she turned on her heel to leave. "Thanks for the tomatoes." Was the last thing she said before exiting the small shop and; stepping into the streets of Trigleph.

Walking alongside the paved roads of her home city. There was a chill in the air and she found herself pulling her arms closer to herself in attempt to retain any kind of body warmth. Having seasons was a strange but euphoric thing. Was it the third or fourth winter they had? Elle couldn't be sure; but she did enjoy seeing the small splashes of green. Plants in people's windows was her favorite. The most basic plant brought joy to the citizens of Trigleph, and when the people were happy; her work was easier.

The teen strolled along until she reached her apartment building. Slowing to a stop; she took a moment to stare at the burnt down swing set. The ground was still scorched from that terrible day. Elle pushed the horrific memories aside to focus on her task at hand.

Entering the apartment building and taking the elevator up to her apartment; she pulled out her keys to unlock her door. A surge of familiarity overcame her as she remember the smell of tomato soup tickled her senses when she run up and down the halls.

Though this time, there was no such smell; just an empty hallway.

Slipping her key into the keyhole and turning it to the side; she opened her door and walked into her home before closing the door behind her. A soft exhale parted her lips as she untangled herself from her satchel. Dropping it onto the kitchen counter; Elle moved to the living room. The teen moved to grasp her remote control to turn on her tv.

When the news flashed; she paused to listen to it.

Great news in the world today. The King of Rieze Maxia, Gaius and the Grand Chancellor Marcia have signed a bill that will begin the exportation of Elympian electronics to Rieze Maxia directly through Marksburg The reform of the bill will allow the transportation of goods to pass through the border easier and cheaper…

A smile appeared on Elle's face as she listened. It seem that Gaius continued to do great things for both nations. Shaking her head, she suddenly remembered Pollo.

Clicking her tongue against her teeth; she cooed for Pollo.

"Come here, kitty." She called as she grasped a bag of Kitty Krisps and shook it. When the pitter patter of tiny paws against the hardwood floors rippled through the living room; Elle smiled and knelt down to scoop the kitten into her arms just as she filled his bowl with food.

"Hello, Pollo." She smooched the kitten's head before setting it down.

"Alright, Pollo, let's get to work." Elle smiled as she reached into her satchel to pull out the tomatoes. Unwrapping them, she placed them in the sink and began to run the water to wash them. She stared into their redness and couldn't help but be struck by a sudden feeling of nostalgia.

"Ludger…" she muttered sullenly as she took the tomatoes into her hands.

"You always thought I didn't notice when you slipped tomatoes into my food…but I did."

Hot tears threatened to sting her eyes but she blinked them back and sighed. She needed to focus on her task and not on reminiscing. Reaching for the bottom right drawer; she opened it quickly and searched for her cutting knife.

Once she found what she was looking for; she began to work over the tomatoes. Cutting them in half and scooping out the seeds. She did this with every one and placed the halves on a plate. Taking the plate outside; she glanced over to the memorial in the corner of her balcony. She gazed at her father's photo with a heavy sigh.

"Hey, Ludger." She muttered as she placed the plate of tomatoes beside his photo. Like each year, she set them out to let the sun dry them out. A small offering to her late father, and to remember his sacrifice. Settling down on a chair; Elle closed her eyes and smiled.

"I've been doing my best, Ludger. I got a job working alongside Jude in his lab at Heliborg. He says I work pretty well with the spyrites. I suppose I got a knack for it." She spoke to him; knowing wherever he was now; he probably could hear her. He had always been with her, or so she would like to think.

A deep feeling of regret began to bubble inside her gut.

"I know you wanted what is best for me…to give me my best shot; you chose me over all the other Elles; it really made me feel like I was your daughter." She cleared her throat since a lump began to form. Glancing down at her hands; those hot tears that threatened to fall before; began to stain her rosy cheeks. Sniffling; she gritted her teeth as she rubbed them away.

"Hehe, still a crybaby, dad." What would have made this year different? Every single time, she would cry. Hoping to regain her composure; Elle stood up and rubbed her face as she let out a sob like laugh.

"I should get going, Ludger." Moving towards the sliding door; she glanced over her shoulder over at the photo that sit in the midst of the shrine. A smile crept upon her features.

"Happy birthday, Ludger."

Moving to drop on the sofa, Elle pulled out her phone to look through the vast menus of take out. "Alright, Pollo, what do we want for dinner?" She asked without looking up from her phone. Perhaps pizza or some chicken mabo curry? Nothing seem appealing.

Her phone rang suddenly, nearly causing her to drop her phone. Recognizing the tone; a smile appeared on her face once more. Elle clicked the answer button and held the phone to her ear.

"Hey, Jude, what's up?" Elle asked as she listened to his news; he sounded frantic and excited at the same time, but Elle couldn't tell which.

"You did what?! R-Really? That's amazing!" She gasped and grinned wider. She couldn't believe it. This was the breakthrough they were hoping for.

"Alright, alright. I will be right there!" Closing her phone, Elle moved to quickly grab her satchel and headed out to Heliborg.

Throwing the doors open to the lab, Elle entered the room in a burst of excitement. She trotted over to Jude and grinned. "Alright! I'm here. Let's test this!" Throwing her satchel on the closest desk; she began to roll up her sleeves.

Jude smiled a bit at Elle's enthusiasm and shook his head. She was energetic as ever.

"Elle, we need to be careful. This isn't the usual spyrite creating. This will be-"

"The first great spirit created successfully, I know, Jude. You were quite clear on the phone. I know the risks, let's proceed." Elle interrupted as she walked over to the booster sitting on the counter. Grasping it into her hands. Elle looked to the doctor turned scientist.

"Ready when you are, Jude."

"I'm ready." Jude nodded in resolve as he took a step closer to Elle.

"Now, close your eyes. Concentrate in activating the booster with your mana. Feel its power surge through your finger tips. Nice and slow, don't rush it." Jude spoke calmly, the instructions were an important part of the experiment.

Reaching into his coat pocket, he pulled a small device and held it up to his lips.

" Creating a Great Spyrite attempt 1, booster wielder, Elle Marta." He muttered into the audio recorder. He placed it on the counter and stared as the booster shined brightly.

"Good, Elle. Good." Jude grinned as he moved to Elle's side.

"What's next, Jude?" She asked as she peered over her shoulder at the other. Jude nodding firmly, he examined her vitals before continuing.

"Now, keep your breathing steady. I want you to imagine what this great spyrite would look like. Envision its form and let the booster do the rest. It will draw from you, mana to manifest itself in this world. If you start feeling sick or tired, please tell me."

Nodding, Elle gulped back an invisible lump as she closed her eyes to prepare for the hard part. A tinge of anxiety and excited swelled in her as she did what she was instructed. At first there was nothing but silence; nothing seem effective. Jude's brows furrowed as his face fell into a sulk. He hadn't been wrong in his calculations, why wasn't it working?

When he was about to call off the attempt, the sound of cracking echoed through the lab; causing the lights to flicker. Every item began to tremble as if there was an earth quake.

"W-What's happening?" Elle asked without opening her eyes. She braced herself.

"You're doing it, I think! Keep going Elle!"

Feeling the last effects of the booster drain her mana, Elle let out a shriek as it vibrated in her hands. Dropping the booster, and falling to one knee. The teen panted as a bead of sweat dripped from her forehead and down the side of her face.

"Elle!" Jude was instantly at her side, he pulled a pineapple gel from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Eat it, slowly." Jude instructed; it wasn't until he heard the crackling across the room; he knew they weren't alone. Slowly, he gazed up to a strange apparition. Hazel eyes widen in shock as he stared at the creature before them.

It was different from any other spyrite or spirit he has ever seen. It had no face; it was pasty white with long appendages that didn't seem to go anywhere. From its back two large translucent wings unfurled. The crackling grew louder as every color of the spectrum pulsated through the feathers like the nervous system. It was terrifyingly beautiful.

Elle gazed upon it; oddly, not afraid, but curious. Standing up with the help of Jude. She went to speak.

"Who…are you?"

It would give no answer. It flexed its wings and screeched; ripples of energy hit them like a tidal wave; sending the scientist and the assistant against the back wall. The last thing Elle saw before blacking out was the creature escaping through a window; its multicolored wings expanding to their fullest; they eclipsed the sun when it took to the sky. Exhaustion clung to the woman as she gazed over to Jude, whom, like her shortly, was out cold.

Grunting, Elle finally passed out. It wasn't until later, when her phone; alongside Jude's rang unrelentingly.

After the fourth round of ringing; Elle groaned and rolled onto her side. A wave of nausea nearly overcame her but she pushed the feeling away and reached to her phone that laid beside her. Flipping it open and hitting the talk button, she held it up to her ear, groaning again.

"H-Hello?" she asked as she coughed.

"N-no, I'm fine." She replied to Gaius. What he had told her, woke her up fully and she got to her feet with ease.

"W-What?! Alright, keep everyone calm, we'll be there soon, don't go near it!" she shouted into the phone before closing it. Rushing to Jude's side. She shook him awake.

"Jude! Wake up!" she cried as panic began to show in her eyes. Hearing the doctor groan; relief soothed her frayed nerves. Jude sat up.

"Elle? You alright?"

"Yes, but we need to get to Kanbalar! Gaius just called!"

"What? Why?" He asked as he dusted off his lab coat and looked around at the ruined lab. A sigh escaped him. How would he explain this to his sponsors? Elle looked to Jude with a look of dread; her knuckles turned white under her grasp.

"Elle…? What is it?" Jude asked, becoming very serious.

"Our Great Spyrite has been rampaging through Kanbalar…Gaius and Rowen are working to evacuate the town. We need to get there as soon as possible!"

Hazel eyes widen at the news before that shock turned into resolve. Strolling carefully through the mess, Jude opened the top drawer of his desk and pulled out two steel gauntlets. He equipped them before looking to Elle.

"Right let's go."

Elle nodded as she followed Mathis out of Heliborg. She couldn't say why, but a deep feeling of guilt began to form in her head. Had this been her fault? Either way, she would be the one to stop this thing from causing havoc among the people…she would put it down if she had to.


	3. Chapter II

It was the eleventh anniversary of the Chimeriad death. For the eleventh time; Gaius made his way to the center of town. This is where the memorial stood; a gigantic bronze statue of a chimera. It would be a perpetual reminder of what the King of Rieze Maxia achieved; and what he had to sacrifice to get there. It was impressively large and could be seen even at the entrance of the city. 

Arriving at the memorial, Gaius stared in a quiet awe. The statue was decorated with sympathetic floral arrangements; and hand written notes from the citizens. Each written with a personal message of gratitude and condolences. Some even left Gaius Dumplings in remembrance of the Tactician; whom had created them in the first place. Each member of the Chimeriad had laid down their life to further Gaius’ reign; and there wasn’t a day that gone by that he didn’t feel a tinge of gratefulness for their sacrifice; though if he had one regret; it was losing his best friend.  
Quietly, Gaius left a silent prayer and couldn’t help but feel proud and impressed by the amount of flowers that littered around the memorial. If he had one vice, it would be pride for his townspeople. 

After a long while of silent reflection; Gaius pivoted quietly on his heels and went to return to the castle; though he stopped upon hearing a loud scolding coming from the Baker’s shoppe. The tone was all too familiar and Gaius knew exactly who was being scolded and why. Exhaling softly, the king made his way to the shoppe.  
“Get back here and pay for that, yer pesky spirit!” The middle age man hollered while throwing a ladle towards the flying thief. An innocent giggle escaped through her full lips. Gliding elegantly to the left, she evaded the incoming ladle and opened her mouth to speak. 

“Oh my, you don’t have to be so forceful. A simple please would suffice.”Muzet nearly cooed as she gave the baker a little wink. 

“That batch of bread was for a customer!” Yelled the baker as he grumbled more profanity under his breath.

With a twitch of an ear, Muzet’s smile faltered a bit but she wouldn’t allow herself to show the wound of his words. She was a great spirit after all. A mischievous smile appeared on her face as she went to speak coyly. 

“Well, if you like, you could take your grievance to Gaius and I am sure he would reimburse you for your lost honey buns and bread.” 

“Muzet.” Gaius’ voice rippled through the square; as usual, it was bold and authoritative; all excepted from the King of Rieze Maxia.

“What in Maxwell’s name are you doing this time?” Gaius asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. Muzet frowned a bit and flew over to him. 

“I was having a little bit of fun; though I am sure that the bread man would disagree.” 

“My lord, your spirit companion stole from me. This isn’t the first time that she has done this.” 

Gaius’ brows furrowed forward as he glanced to the mischievous blue; how many times would he have to come to the aid of his people because of her fun? Things certainly hadn’t changed in ten years. Muzet did nothing but smile in return; as if she had been a perfect angel. Gaius could feel another of his ebon strands of hair fade to an aging grey; one of many contributed by Muzet. 

Sighing, the king fished through his pockets for a gold coin. Holding it to the baker, his gaze softened. 

“I apologize on her behalf. Take this, this won’t happen again.” He spoke with resolve as he glanced over to the spirit. He put emphasis on “Will it?” 

Recognizing the seriousness of his tone; Muzet stood a bit straighter and nodded; like before; she held back the urge to pout like a scolded child; best not to show it. Keep the smile.  
The baker reluctantly accepted the payment but not before shooting a menacing glare to the spirit. Grumbling under his breath; he went to return to his bread shop. Spirits belonged in their world and unseen; ever since her appearances, his business was declining due to the thievery. 

Muzet rolled her amber hues and gazed over to Gaius; an innocent smile returned to her features once again; which would cost Gaius another grey hair; he was sure; though he was fortunate that he wasn’t going bald. 

“Muzet, you can’t keep stealing. Next time, I won’t be here to save you.” Gaius scolded in his usual tone as he motioned for the woman to follow him. 

“Come, let us return to the palace.” It wasn’t until he took his first step when a loud banshee like screech rippled through the entire city. The deafening tone pulsated through the terrain and caused the ground to tremble under its might. 

“What was that?” Gaius asked as his attention snapped upwards and towards the source of the terrifying sound. The next thing he witnessed was the large colorful wings cascading over the sky and eclipsed the sun from view. The wings didn’t look like normal by any means; but more like a metropolis of nerves rushing through the skeleton of each individual feather like shapes. Gaius came to the only plausible conclusion: It was a Great Spirit. 

“Muzet, what matter of spirit is this?” The king asked as he placed a firm hand upon the hilt of his blade. When he looked to her, he was mildly concerned by the look of fear in her eyes. 

“Muzet?” 

“This is no spirit in any sense of the word. I believe, it is a spyrite and not a nice one.”  
Before Gaius could reply, the monster screeched again and this time caused tremors to split the roads. Street lamps exploded under the pressure of its voice. Gaius struggled to keep on his feet but he would not buckle; he would not bow to such a creature. Forcing himself upward; he drew his blade and sent a strong towards the beast. 

“Demon fang!” Gaius’ voice bellowed as he prepared another atre attack. The great Spyrite cried as the attacked tattered through its magnificent wings; though it wasn’t enough to incapacitate it; only angered it.  
Just when it was about to holler another devastating attack; three daggers fell from the sky and trapped it within an arte; the very same one that made the Conductor famous. 

“Gaius!” Rowen called as he made his way over towards the king; Elize followed behind him. 

 

“Hey Gaius, big buddy ol’ pal! Whatcha gon do with that scary thing in the sky!?” Teepo cried as he chomped onto the king’s face; giving him a Teepo kiss. A soft giggle escaped from Muzet as she watched with amusement. 

“T-Teepo!” Elize cried as she pulled him off of Gaius. Huffing she began to scold the plush toy. 

“Teepo! You’re embarrassing me!”

“Hey!” Came a voice from the end of the road. Alvin stood with Leia; who stared in shock at the caged Spyrite. 

“What the hell is that thing!?” She asked as she gripped her staff. 

“Muzet seems to think it is a Great Spyrite.” Gaius replied as he eyed the thing warily. Rowen cleared his throat as he took a step closer to the king. 

“Perhaps it would be wise to call Jude and Elle. Perhaps they could tell us how to contain it properly and return it to their facility.”  
Without hesitation; Gaius pulled out his GHS and flipped it open. When it blinked on; it spoke with an automated voice. 

“Good day, Erston. How are you?” The voice asked. 

“Call Elle.” He commanded in a dominating tone; one that usually caused his enemies to tremble. The phone beeped and spoke again. 

“Calling….Elle.” 

Gaius nodded firmly. “Thank you, Diane.” 

“….You named your phone…Diane?” Alvin asked in disbelief. 

“That was the name that appeared on the box.” Gaius replied as he listened to the dial tone. When Elle had answered; Gaius skipped pleasantries. 

“Elle. There is a great Spyrite rampaging through Kanbalar. We have it trapped for now, but get here and contain it.” He ordered before closing the phone. Turning, he faced the beast and glared. 

“Muzet, can you tell us anything about it?” Elize asked as she strolled over to the blue spirit. 

“All I know is that Jude and Elle were working on creating the first Great Spyrite. They must have succeeded.” 

“Why does it look so bizarre?” Leia asked next as she watched the thing struggle against its prison. 

“From what Jude had told me…in theory; it takes a form of the booster handler’s subconscious; like a childhood fear, albeit it looks more like an imaginary friend.” 

“Or an alien.” Alvin chimed as he crossed his arms. 

“What are you two doing in Kanbalar, anyway?” Rowen asked as he shifted his weight to his left leg; his right had become a bit achy as of late. 

“We’re here to write an article on the Gaius Dumpling recipe.” Leia explained with a grin, which earned a slight grunt of disproval from Gaius; that blasted jingle was still just as common as the first day of its conception. Damn that Wingul. 

Before another word could be uttered; the Spyrite bellowed its war cry scream and flexed its muscles before attempting to break the barrier. It succeeded and unfurled its massive wings. They flapped strongly and caused a whirlwind; it engulfed the party and threw them around the square. The Spyrite sped its way towards the Xailen Temple.  
As quickly as it left, Elle and Jude arrived to the scene. 

“Gaius!” Elle cried as she rushed over to help him up. He grumbled; disorientated before getting to his feet. 

“You have impeccable timing.” The king grumbled more as he reached down to assist Rowen to his feet. 

“Ya didn’t break a hip did ya, Gramps!?” Teepo asked as he floated over to the elderly man. 

“I’m fine, Teepo, thank you for your concern.” The butler smiled as he tidied up his outfit. 

“Where did it go?” Jude asked as he took Leia’s hand and pulled her up. Elize got to her feet and dusted off her dress. The only one who seem unhinged by the attack was Muzet. She had the fortune to be able to fly out of the way.  
Gaius crossed his arms and frowned deeply. He motioned west; where the temple lay. 

“Towards the Temple.” He spoke as he rubbed his temple in attempt to soothe the pounding that formed in his head. 

Jude nodded then. “If we trap it again in the barrier; Elle and I will be able to permanently contain it in a Spyrix container.” Gaius’ brows knitted together at the mention of Spyrix but said nothing. He just nodded sternly and motioned for the party to move. 

When the party arrived to the Xailen temple, the spyrite was perched on the tiled roof, as if it was some high dragon; and proclaiming that it was the king of all.  
In fact, its body began to contort and unhinge. Its form changed into that of a dragon; great in size; horns sprouted from the roots of its head while its snout became long and thin. The scales turned white as snow. This was the true form of the beast; a large reptile with rows of teeth not unlike a great white shark; long two sets of fangs protruded on each side of its mouth; like some venomous serpent. 

“It changed its form?!” Elle screamed as fright shook her to the core. She couldn’t say why, but that dragon looked incredibly familiar. She couldn’t think more on it for it spanned its wings over the area and casted a shadow over the party. 

**_O̢̟̭̐͗̎̈́t͖͈̀̈́͐̒̚ẖ͇̻ͣě̻̭̖̲̤̊ͣ͂̈̄̌͜r͉̺̜̖͍̽̓̎̈̌ͮw̪̙̹̼̖ͭͩ́ͅo͋ͪ̈ͧ̆ͩr̽͗l̠̘̫̹̗̥ͥͪ͋d̫͚̾ͪ͗͗e̸͓̳̖̬̳̗̐ͤ̐͐͛̇̓r͈̹̮͓͖̓̚ͅs̖͙̲̤͔͔͕͂ͦ̓́̆̍̎,̜͓̳͈͚̇ͬ͝ ̍t̘̯̜̿͡ḣ͕̱̞̩͙̒̓̽̓̓̑i͓̹͒̎ͫ͊̀ͩ͜s̰̘͙ͨ͑ͧͨ̊͌̒ ̛̪͙̼̟̲̹̳ͧ͐̍̈́͗̆í̥̲̙ͫ͗ͭ͋̄ͅs̢͚͙͚̺̠͓̗̆͐̄̐ ̱̟͇̞̗̘̉ͪ͞w̠̟͙̦̘̼̭̌̍͂̆͡h̢͓̺̺̘e͍͇̱ͣ̚r͂͆͂̎͂͒̆͏̹̥͕̖e̳̬͕͒͞ͅ ̸̮̳̦͈̰̱̅̾̽̐̏̈́ͨy̾̐o̢͇̘̖͌͑͌̃ͣ͑ú̧͍͚̜̜̩̗͔̃ṟ̘̥̙̘̅ ̖̞͓̠̖̔͐̊̈́̀t̟̪͉̩̺r̴͔͕͖̀ͩ͌͊̽͛u̓̄ͣ̇͛̈̂e ̤͎̟̝ͣͯ͝ͅs̝̺̪̣̲̻ͭ̈͋͑͑̾̈͘t̄ͦͣ͋̿̚ò͢ř̹̤̭̺̪̰y̥ͭ̊̿ͦͧ ̶̌͂ͫ̎b̴̜́͛̐́̏̄ė̶̖g͎͚̬ͪ̄̚͢iͪ̎͋̈͝n̙͒͑̚ş̝͓͚̔ͤ̚.̫͓̮͉̥͌́̂͛̊ͥ ̉͂̚͏̯D̸̪ͤ̽̒͛̎̊͌o̟̘̝̹͎̯̜ͧ̂̋̈̚ ̨̃̒̐͂̎̿͑n̰͇̦ͪͦ̃̈̂ͦ̚͞ͅo͉̰͉̕t̨͇͎͕̦ͥ̿͒̍͛̇̽ ̌͗̿̄ͦͭ̇d̶̟̜͈͎̟̝ͬi̦̟̘͈̒͌̏̓̾̎̋s͕̣̠ͫ͋ͧ̂̍ͤ̃́à̵̫̮̞͗p͑̽͘p̜̝̰͂͒͆̀o̢̫̗̯͖͎̱̭͂ͯ̌̃̿͗̈́iͧͪ̉́͆҉̹͚ṋ̝͎̪̓̒͌̈̓ͯ͊t̤̝͇̹ͭ̓͆̍͒ ̤̬̦͞m̥͒̇͗͐͐̓͝e̶̯͉̻̙͎.̝̩̩͔̺_**

The beast spoke, not with his mouth or tongue; but directly into the minds of the party. Its voice echoed through their heads in a horrible grunge like tone; inhumane and demonic.  
Before the party could protest or move; the group could feel themselves fall into darkness. 

The first thing Elle heard was the uncomfortable groaning of her companions. As she startled awake, she gazed over their surroundings. Thick, full forest of greens, oranges, and browns stretched for miles. The trees were so tall that if she stared up too long, she would become dizzy. 

When the others aroused from their sleep; they stood and glanced at each other. Even Muzet had landed ungracefully; grumping a bit, she pulled a thin twig from her hair and smoothed it back in attempt to detangle it. 

“I don’t think we’re in Rieze Maxia anymore.” She spoke unenthused because of her landing. Elize stared around and looked to her; her eyes widen at the realization that they weren’t in Kanbalar anymore. 

“W-What?” 

Rowen seem to be at a loss for words as he surveyed the area. Finally, he opened his mouth to speak. 

“This place is unfamiliar.” 

“What did that dragon mean by “Otherworlders?” Leia asked as she helped Alvin to his feet. Gaius glared in a random direction; he shouldn’t be here, he had a world to run and his absence would cause mass panic. He surveyed the area in the event there was enemies or monsters.. 

“We should stay together.” Jude spoke up but he was cut off by a distant scream. Elle pivoted suddenly and took off into the direction of the scream. “Someone is in trouble!” she cried. If Elle had one fault, it was her recklessness. 

“Wait! We don’t know the area!” Jude called and sighed before jogging after her. 

“It could be the Spyrite!” Ella replied without stopping. The party followed; not knowing of this new strange world they seem to fall into.


	4. Chapter III

The sound of her heartbeat thundered in her ears as she sprinted further into the forest thicket. The scream had to come from this area, she knew it. Elle slowed to a light jog as she looked around once more. Where had it been coming from? A disdained sound escaped her lips as she kicked the terrain some after slowing to a stop. 

She panted and cursed under her breath. 

" Elle!" Jude hollered as he caught up to her. He grabbed her by the arm. 

" Never go running off like that again! You could've been hurt!" He snapped with a harshness that was only brought on by the fear of losing her. 

Elle gave him a hardened look. " We have to do something or are your hero days behind you?" She snapped in return. Jude stared at her in surprise and frowned. He wouldn't admit it but that did sting a bit. He was about to open his mouth to speak when the others showed up. 

" Hey, are you guys alright?!" Alvin asked when he arrived. 

"Did you find the person screaming?" Leia asked. 

Elle shook her head and frowned. " Not yet." She replied stoically before turning away from the group to survey the area once more. Jude watched her in silence. 

" We need to get our bearings if we are to continue." Rowen spoke as he and Gaius arrived on the scene. He cleared his throat and gazed at the group. He was about to formulate a plan of action when there was another blood curling scream.   
This time, Elle knew where it came from, the west. She looked to the others. 

" We're close!" She exclaimed as she glared at the others. "Let's go!" She said with command before taking off towards the scream once more. Jude sighed in defeat. He suddenly felt something hit his back. He looked up to see Alvin.   
" There is no changing a woman's mind once it's made up, Jude, it's best if we follow." He said with a grin as he jogged after the girl. The remaining looked to one another before following. 

Elle arrived to a horrid scene, an upturned carriage. Slaughtered coachmen, trunks laid open, discarded with personal items decorating the roadside. There, a group of dark dressed knights were going through the wreckage while one held a frightened woman in his steel hold. Her mouth was bleeding profusely as if struck multiple times. Anger risen in Elle the likes she had never felt before. 

" Let her go!" Elle screamed and charged at the knight holding the poor woman hostage. Jude gasped and charged after her, his fists already held ready for combat. The others too, sprang into action, weapons drawn. 

"Intruders!?" One of the knights cried as he drew his blade to charge at the foolish girl. " Stand down, stupid girl or get cut down!" He yelled but it did nothing to quell Elle's charge. He rose his blade to meet her, what he didn't count on was the connecting blow to his unprotected face from Jude's fist. He shouted in pain and dropped his blade. Ella scrambled to pick it up and the brawl began. 

Leia and Elize cornered two of the knights while Rowen and Gaius scared off two approaching knights. Alvin, meanwhile went for the knight holding the woman. He went to charge, but something peculiar happened. When the guard was distracted, the woman thrusted her elbow into the man's throat and moved with such precision that Alvin had stopped in his tracts. The movements were fluid and familiar. 

The young woman picked up the book that had been discarded onto the ground and without a second thought, she summoned a spell that resembled the crashing waves of the ocean. Water swept over the land but only seemed to affect the knights in black. It was only when Alvin drew closer to the woman that the mercenary stopped dead in his tracks, his face blanched. He was staring at a ghost, he had to be there was no way... 

" Move, idiot!" The woman yelled and pointed behind him. Alvin pivoted quickly to see a large group of black clad soldiers surrounding the area. He cursed and moved closer to his friends, though his gaze kept darting to the woman. They were surrounded.   
A black knight, dressed more intricately than the others stepped forward. His face was surrounded behind a mask. Elle glared into him. This had to be their leader. She felt her hands shake and she couldn't explain why...but the moment the knight's face fell into her direction, she knew he was staring right through her. She knew then why she had begun shaking...it was fear.   
With a fluid motion, he signaled for his men as he turned away and disappeared into the sea of black clad soldiers. Elle gritted her teeth as her mind raced, there had to be some escape. They couldn't be captured here or worse killed. 

"Elle!" Jude called and pulled her behind him. " Damn it, we're surrounded!" There had to be hundreds. Rowen calmly stepped forward and next to Gaius. " Do you think they could be reasoned with?" He asked though the tone indicated that it was a fruitless question.   
" No, they're not backing down." He muttered. " I can take about 50 on the left." Still, even for as a great man as Gaius was, there was just too many to take at once.   
"Surrender yourselves to the Queen or die!" One soldier hollered with a grittily tone. It sent chills down Elle's spine. These men weren't like the others, there was something...off about them. A small whimper escaped Elize as she looked away only to have her gaze caught by something glimmering in the surrounding trees. There was a rustle amid the leaves and it was moment that the girl noted the many arrows.   
She moved ever so slightly and tugged at Jude. He looked over to Elize. "What is it?" He asked quietly. He followed her gaze and his eyes widen. 

" Get behind the tree line!" He shouted suddenly. Steps thundered around them as the group ducked behind the tree line. Jude threw himself over Elle as a rain of arrows fell from the sky. The black clad soldiers hissed and fell to the ground while others simply vanished.   
The woman with the book had crossed her arms as she came out of her hiding place behind one of the trees. 

" Took you long enough." She spoke irritably. " They nearly captured me."   
A man dressed in a robe and leather jumped from his spot in the trees. He was a tall man. He placed his bow onto his back and pulled his hood away. His long blond strands cascaded down his shoulders and back in a sloppy braid. His shimmering eyes fell upon the woman as he smiled.   
"My apologies my darling, you know I have a flare for the dramatics." He replied which earned him a shove from the spellcaster. She turned and pulled her glasses from her pocket. She placed them upon her face and beckoned the group to come out. 

"Come on out, friends. The undead is gone." She said before strapping her book to her thigh.   
Jude stumbled out with Elle in tow. " Hey, thanks for saving us." Jude said to the blonde man. Elle gazed at the bodies of the attackers and frowned. 

"I could've sworn there was hundreds of those men!" She spoke with a heavy breath. 

" That's the undead for you." Said the man. " Illusion magic is their talent, I'm afraid. There was only about 10 actual undead fighting." 

" Undead?" Rowen asked as he made his way over to the group. " I am thinking that is not just a fancy name of their group." 

"No." The man continued. " They're not dead, or alive. They're puppets of the bitch queen." The man spat. He smiled though. He was about to open his mouth when Alvin moved quickly over to the woman. 

"Presa?! What are you doing here?! H-How are you here?!" He asked quickly which only earned him a strange stare from the woman. 

"I don't know who you are or why you're calling me Presa. My name is Jill." She replied as she stepped away from Alvin. A collective gasp could be heard around the group. Now that they had a better view of the woman, she did hold a striking resemblance to Presa, so much so, it was uncomfortable. 

"W-What?" Alvin asked and looked away with a blanched expression. Everyone was staring at the woman except for one. Gaius. His gaze was locked upon the blonde man, his face showing a mild look of shock. 

" We're rude to not introduce ourselves." He began, his eyes never leaving the man's.   
The man with the blonde hair smiled. " Oh, of course!" He placed a hand on his hips. "My name is Nils. Nils Long Dau. It's a pleasure to meet you."   
Gaius stared unmoved, but on the inside, Gaius could feel his stomach flip. He was indeed staring at a ghost...and if Presa and Nils were in fact alive then so could be the rest of the Chimeraid...The thought disappeared when the man spoke again. 

" It's growing darker, it's not safe for you to be out at night, not in these parts. " Nils said as he inspected the group. " By the tell of your clothes, friends, you're not from around here..." He gave a shrug and looked to Jude and Elle. 

" You can tell us what you were doing here and why you're dressed so strangely over a few pints at the Lion's Head." He grinned. " Of course, after you meet the Lich King." He added. 

"True, he'd want a full report on what happened here." Said Jill, her eyes lingering on Alvin. Suspicion was evident in her gaze. Elle looked to Jude. " What should we do?" She muttered. 

Jude gazed at her for a moment. " Well...We should go with them." He admitted. " It doesn't seem like we're under arrest and if we go with them, perhaps we can figure out where we are." He said. Elle nodded. 

The journey to the Lich King's palace was a long one, but they managed to arrive within the city limits just as the sun disappeared over the landscape. Nils was leading the group, smiling. 

"It's good to be home. This is the City of Karth'na." He informed them as he directed the group towards the palace. " Lair of the Lich King."   
Jill followed behind the group. Elle meanwhile was trying to figure out where they were. " Could this be a fractured dimension?" She muttered to Jude. Jude furrowed his brows in thought as they continued to march on. " I can't say for sure but my gut is telling me no. We destroyed them all, remember?"   
Elle bit her lip, if they weren't part of a fractured dimension, then the possibility of returning home looked futile. They would have to play it cool until they could gather more information. 

The city of Karth'na was large and bustling even after day. Twilight had blanketed the city but it didn't seem to stop the businesses or the citizens from enjoying their shopping. 

" Ah, there is the Lion's Head! " Nils pointed out as they walked passed. " While you're having the meeting with the Lich King, I'll book you some rooms." He continued. 

" What can you tell us about this...Lich King?" Rowen asked inquisitively.   
Nils grinned and nodded. " He's a great and powerful wizard." He said. " ...And the proper ruler of Elkus." He said with pride. 

" Here, here!" Cheered Jill from the back. 

" He's wise and he has done his kingdom a great service." Nils continued. " It wasn't until the bitch queen usurped some of his kingdom for her own. With magic of which I have never seen." He added. " Even the Saints of the Justicars can't seem to explain it." 

" So you're fighting to reclaim your land." Alvin added. 

" Not just land...it's much more than land. It's our home." Jill snapped as she walked passed the man. " It's everything."   
Nils chuckled. "Aye, it is." 

The group found themselves standing before an empty throne amid the grand audience chamber. Elle moved closer to Jude. 

"If it's not a fractured dimension, then we're really in another world...?" She asked in a whisper. 

" It's starting to look that way." He replied. 

" But that doesn't explain why..." Elize began and looked down sullenly. " Why we are seeing people...whom we thought were dead, like Presa."   
Alvin stiffened a bit and shook his head. "It has to be a coincidence." 

" I am not so sure..." Rowen muttered. 

Gaius was about to open his mouth to speak when suddenly there was a loud sound, like a cracking of a whip or thunder. The group gazed upon the throne to see someone now occupying the seat. The Lich king... 

To their shock and horror that the Lich King was none other than Gilland Yul Svent.


End file.
